Renewable fuse



Patented Dec. 8, 1925.

I UNITED STATES ALBERT E. CLARKE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

RENEWABLE FUSE.

Application led July 2,

To all 'whom it maf] concern.'

Be it known that I, ALBERT E. CLARKE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of VWayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Benewable Fuses, of which the `:following is a specication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to fuses and more particularly to renewable fuses in which the fuse strips are detachably secured in the barrel. The main object of the invention is to provide a renewable fuse in which all of the small parts are permanently secured so that liability of misplacing or losing the same is avoided. Another object is the provision of a renewable fuse having cooperating clamping members for the fuse strip which are provided with means for guiding the fuse strip therebetween. Further objects of theinvention reside in the novel features of construction, combinations and arrangements of parts as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a longitudinal section through a renewable fuse embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is an end view thereof;

Figure 3 is a cross section on the line 3 3 of Figure 1.

1 is the fuse barrel formed of asuitable insulating material such as fiber. Similar heads 2 are provided at opposite ends of the barrel 1, each comprising a tube 3 threaded upon an end of the barrel, a clamping meinber 4 iixedly secured within the tube 3 and l a cooperating clamping member 5 permanently secured to the tube 3, but movable toward and away from the clamping member 4. The iixed clamping member 4 is provided with the slot 6 which extends longitudinally of the fuse and in which the cooperating clamping member 5 is movable. 7 is the fuse strip extending longitudinally within the barrel and between the clamping `members of the heads, this fuse strip extending through the slots 6 and being clamped 4against the bases of the slots by the cooperating clamping members, each of which is actuated by means of a screw 8 having a reduced portion 9 extending through the tube, a shoulder 10 abutting the inner side of the tube ,and a slotted head 11 abutting the outer side. With this arrangement dis 1923. serial No. 649,130.

spectively to guide the fuse strip when being inserted between the clamping members. Each cooperating clamping member alsoI has the flange 14 spaced above and extending slightly over the fixed clamping member so that when the fuse strip is being inserted into space, its end will be bent over. Furthermore, each cooperating clamping inember has the oppositely extending flange 15 which extends over its tube 3 to conceal the space between the cooperating clamping member and the tube when the cooperating clamping member has been forced into the slot of the clamping member 4 a suiiicient distance to firmly clamp the fuse strip in place.

For the purpose of indicating the amperage of the fuse strip, the outer surface of the same at either or both ends and indicated at 16 is provided with the amperage marking, this portion of the strip extending beyond the flange 14 of the cooperating clamping member so that it may be very readily seen.

In the event that a fuse strip has burned out, it is merely necessary to rotate the screws 8 in a direction to move the cooperating clamping members away from the fixed clamping members, at which time'the end portions of the fuse strip may be removed. A new fuse strip is then inserted longitudinally between the clamping members of one head and then longitudinally within the barrel and finally inserted between the clamping members of the other head, the forward end of the fuse strip being guided into place by means of the bevelled adjacent lower corners upon the clamping members of the last head. As the end of the fuse strip passes through the second head it will be bent slightly by means of the overhanging flange of the cooperating clamping member. Then upon tightening of the screws and consequent movement of the cooperating clamping members toward the fixed clamping members, each end portion of thel fuse vstrip will be firmly secured in place and its marked ends will be bent over to extend substantially parallel to the end surfaces of the fixed Vclamping members, at

which time the amperage marking upon one or each end can be readily seen.

From the 'above description it will be readily seen that I have provided a simple construction of renewable fuse in which lall of the small parts are permanently secured to larger parts which cannot be easily lost. As a consequence, the liability oit misplacing or losing the 'small parte is avoided. It will be also seen that a new fuse strip may be readily inserted and secured in place within `a very short time. Furthermore, while I have shown a. 'fuse adapted to be secured in place by clips detachably engageable with the tubes at the ends of the barret, it is evident that my invention vapplies equally well to a l'use having lrnife-blade contacts extending trom the ends of the fuse and preferably secured to the iixed clamping members, these knife.- blade contacts being detacha l*`-v cngageable with clips.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. In a renewable ifuse, the combination with a barrel, of a fuse strip extending longitudinally therewithin, tubes secured to said barrel and projecting beyond the opposite ends thereof, a clamping member permanently securedv in the projecting portion of each tube, and a cooperating clamping member permanently secured in the projecting portion oi' each tube and adjustable t0- ward and away from said first-mentioned clamping member to clamp said 'fuse strip.

:2. In a renewable iuse, the combination with a barrel, of a fuse strip e-rtending longitudinally therewithin, a` tube secured to said barrel and projecting beyond one end thereof, a clamping member permanently secured within the projecting portion of said tube, and a cooperating clamping member permanently secured within the projecting portion ot said tube, said fuse strip extend ing between said clamping members, and a screw permanently secured to the projecting portion of said tube and rotatable from the outside of the tube to adjust said cooperating clamping member ytoward and away from said first-mentioned clamping member.

3. In a renewable fuse, the combination with a. barrel, of a Jr'use strip extending longitudinally therewithin, a tube secured upon one end of said barrel, a clamping member permanently secured within said tube, a cooperating clamping member permanently secured within said tube and movable toward and away -from said clamping member, said fuse strip extending between said clamping members, and au overhanging flange upon said cooperating clamping member engagea-ble with said 'fuse strip to bend the same.

4f. In a renewable fuse, the combination with a barrel, of a fuse strip extending longitudinally therewithin, heads threaded upon opposite ends of said barrel, each head comprising a tube, la 'clamping member permanently secured within said tube, a cooperating clamping member permanently secured within said tube and movable toward and away from said first-mentioned clamping member, said fuse strip extending between said clamping members and said cooperating `clamping member having oppositely extending anges overhanging said rst-menti'onedclamping member and said barrel. j

5. In a renewable fuse, the combination with a barrel, of a fuse strip extending longr tudin'ally therewithin, a tubular member secured upon 'one endjof said barrel, clamping members within said tubular member, 'one 'of said clamping members being movable toward and away from the other of said clamping members,*said fuse strip 'extending between said clamping members, and an overhanging flange upon one of said clamping members engageable with said fuse strip to bend the same.

6. In a renewable fuse, the combination with a barrel, tubes secured to the barrel at the opposite ends thereof, fixed clamping members in said tubes having aligned 'slots therein, a 'usestrip engaging said slots, and

clamping members permanently secured to said tubes cooperating with the clamping members aforesaid for holding said strip.

7 In a renewable fuse, the combination with a barrel, tubes secured to the barrel and projecting beyond the opposite ends thereof, fixed clamping members in the projecting portions 'ot' said tubes Vhaving aligned slots therein, the bases ort said slots being flat, a fuse strip in said slots, clamping members also in said slots yfor holding said strip against the fiat bases of said slots, and means permanently secured to said tubes for adjusting said cooperating clamping members.

8. In a renewable. fuse, the combination with a barrel, tubes secured to 'the barrel and projecting beyond the opposite ends thereof, fixed clamping membersin the projecting portions of said ltubes having ali gned slots therein, the bases of said slots being flat, a fuse strip in said slots, clamping members also in said slots for holding said Vstri 3 against the flat bases of said slots, andfhea ed elements adjustable from the outside of said tubes for moving thecoop'erating clamping members. v j

9. In a renewable fuse, the combination with a barrel, tubes secured to vthe barrel and projecting beyond the opposite ends thereof, iiXed clamping members in said tubes beyond the ends of lsaid barrel `having aligned slots therein, the Vbases'of said slots being flat, *a flat fuse strip in said slots, clamping members also in lsaid slots for holding lsaid stripY a 'ainst Athe `flat bases of said S10ts,and hea'de elements permanently secured to said tubes and adapted to adjust the cooperating clamping members.

10. In a renewable fuse, the combination with a barrel, tubes secured to the barrel at the opposite ends thereof, fixed clamping members in said tubes having aligned slots therein, a fuse strip engaging said slots, clamping members within said slots cooperating with the clamping members aforesaid for holding said strip, and flanges carried 10 by said cooperating clamping members adapted to extend over the free ends of the tubes to conceal the space between the cooperating clamping members and ythe tubes when the said clamping members are clamp- 15 ed against the fuse strip.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ALBERT E. CLARKE. 

